Glen Davis has developed into one of the league's top 6th men. After showing virtually no offensive ability as a rookie, Big Baby came into his second year looking to prove he was more than just a "garbage bucket" player. With Garnett out for a large chunk of the second half and the playoffs, Glen earned a spot in the Celtic's starting 5. With his new found minutes Davis quickly proved to the league that he knew how to knock down shots when it mattered, this was never more clear than in Game 4 of the ECSF when, with 2 seconds left in the game, Paul Pierce swung the ball to Glen Davis for a chance to win the game... and Big Baby nailed it.

Going into his third season Glen Davis had a few ups and downs. At first he had the high expectations because of his great playoff performances, then with the signing of Rasheed Wallace he started to question his role on the team. After his childish antics The Celtics started to question their faith in him. Big Baby missed the first 2 months of the season due to a hand injury he suffered while "horsing around" with one of his friends. Then after he came back he would have inconsistent playing time, and more importantly an inconsistent jump shot. His performance would be and and down throughout the year. But once again in the Playoffs Big Baby would shine.With KG suspended for Game 2 due to his altercation with Quentin Richardson, Glen got the nod and put up 23 points and 8 rebounds. Later in the NBA Finals Glen would combine with Nate Robinson to take over the 4th quarter and seal a Celtic victory in Game 4. Davis was undoubtedly a big part of last season's run to the Finals.

Going into this season same questions were asked about Glen Davis. "Can he bring the same intensity when he isn't starting?", "Can he accept his role, and is he willing to accept that he isn't a star?", "Is he mature enough to be a major part of this teams future?". All of these were valid question, and with Glen Davis seeing big minutes early in the season, he gave answers. Glen Davis currently leads the league in taking charges. As Paul Pierce said earlier in the year, Big Baby has to be at the top of the list when talking about the NBA's top 6th men.

The Ticket Stub's game would be best compared to players like Antonio McDyess, and Joe Smith in the later parts of their careers. He's a "pick and pop" big man, who can crash the offense glass, and is respectable in the low post. The main difference between Glen and the others is that they were once athletic, but were forced to become shooters as their skills legs diminished. Davis on the other hand is already a decent jump shooter who, as the pounds come off, is becoming more and more athletic as his career goes on.

If Big Baby can continue to gain athleticism he could easily become a decent NBA starter. What Glen lacks are the things that most young NBA players depend on. Young players usually come into the league with unbelievable hops but lack the outside jumper and willingness to throw their weight around, Davis defenitely has both of those.

Danny Ainge will have some tough choices to make this summer, most of them depend greatly on the outcome of this season, but one them is the future of Glen Davis. By my calculations Glen Davis was drafted as a 35 year old big man who played spot minutes and filled out the roster. By now he's a 31 year old crafty veteran who does the tough stuff and is still counted on to hit a few shots. Davis will be a 27 year old player in the meat of his next contract, in the prime of his career and at the peak of his potential... and for a team that could be "rebuilding" that could be a nice asset.

4 Responses so far.

I hate to sound like one of those guys that says "I told you so," but I knew when the Celtics got him in the 2nd round in '07 they got a steal. I think a lot of teams shied away from him because of his height and maturity issues, but he's shown that he can work hard and contribute to any team in the league. Honestly he's been a huge piece off the bench for us and when he has a good night he sparks the entire team. I think there are plenty of teams, even contending teams like Miami that could definitely use him as a starter or 6th man, but his place is in Boston. I don't think he would've developed as fast if it wasn't for Garnett screaming at him every day in practice and giving him words of encouragement when he does well.

Unfortunately for the Celtics, I don't know if we're going to be able to hang onto him after this contract is up. He's not going to be a star in the league by any means, but he is definitely someone who could be a commodity for some teams in the league, there's not that many guys like him who are going to give you consistent minutes off the bench. Not to say he doesn't have his slumps, all players do, but for the most part when you put him in the game you know what you're getting out of him.

I love our Ticket Stub. He might now be the most athletically gifted,but he's got heart. He always steps up when counted on. I always refer to these guys as "grunts". They might not be stars,but these are the guys who step up when you need them. They make the most of their playing time. Every team needs a few grunts. The fans tend to love these guys for that reason. I remember a couple of seasons ago when he had to step in for KG-huge shoes to fill. He did a terrific job,especially for a young kid under a lot of pressure to play big. Hopefully Danny will do the RIGHT thing and hold on to our Ticket Stub.

I think Baby was put into a perfect situation for his development. Surrounded by veteran players who could challenge him when he acted up and a coach who seems to have a knack for developing young guys, Davis has benefited a lot from this situation. KG demands a lot from his teammates and leads by example every day. Doc has said in the past that he is especially tough on Glen and that might have been exactly what he needed to become the player that he is and (hopefully) will be.